Mbappe: The World Cup is an Unpredictable Tournament, and Messi and Cristiano are the Best

The French national team star Kylian Mbappe appeared in a press conference to talk about Tuesday's match against Iraq, in the second round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.

The player said: "There is a culture associated with the current moment. Winning teams always inspire modern football, and the team that wins is always right. Since the beginning of my career, we were asked to imitate Barcelona and its possession style, then Real Madrid, and now the counter-pressing style presented by Paris Saint-Germain."

He added: "Winning teams always inspire others. We are more attacking compared to 2018 and 2022. The group has maintained its continuity since the beginning of the coach's period, with the addition of new young talents. The road is still long, but we are moving in the right direction towards what we want to achieve. The World Cup is an unpredictable tournament."

He continued: "Is the center forward position my favorite? I don't know. I feel good right now, but I don't think it's related to the position I play. I feel great mentally and physically. My position is not very important; it's about movement and dynamics. We need to be a team that imposes its style. I feel comfortable in the three attacking positions."

He continued: "Michael Olise is an exceptional player, and everyone admires his capabilities. We have managed to build good harmony thanks to all the attacking players. We have a lot of talent, so the star of the match might be a different player each time. Michael is a great player capable of offering something different in every match."

About Ousmane Dembele's role: "I don't know if Ousmane went unnoticed. I watched the match twice, and in the first half, he was the best offensively among the four players at the front. In the second half, Michael and I were more decisive, but he was important too. Ousmane is very calm, he is the Ballon d'Or holder, and he has the confidence of the group and the coaching staff. He knows well how things work within the French national team. We must not forget that he suffered an injury at the end of the season. He will gradually regain his strength and will be a decisive player for us."

Regarding his 100th international match: "It is always a pride to play with the national team; there is nothing greater than representing the national team. Reaching this number is a historic achievement, especially in the World Cup, but the most important thing is the result. I knew Lionel Messi would score, as he always does. I am still behind him in the list of World Cup top scorers throughout history. I won't be here when I am forty years old; perhaps they will have let me go before that."

He continued: "I don't make long-term plans; I just want to enjoy this edition of the World Cup."

About: "Messi is the best, and with him, Cristiano Ronaldo, of course, this is clear. I am just trying to help my team win another World Cup. As for the rest of the discussions, they are for the journalists. Currently, I am not thinking about Haaland, maybe they are thinking about us, but I am thinking about Iraq."

He concluded about his relationship with Dembele on the field: "We might need to improve the direct understanding between me and Ousmane on the field. When I look at the four attackers, I don't see any player isolated from the others. In the first half, we made many technical errors and did not succeed in breaking through the opponent's defensive block. But in terms of intensity and commitment, we were at the required level. Many players were playing their first World Cup match, so there was some tension."